Important statement from Imamoğlu, mayor of Istanbul: Will he run for President in 2028?
Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), evaluated his strategies leading up to the March 31 Local Elections, his opponent Murat Kurum’s performance, and the criticisms from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (also ruling AK Party leader).
Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the candidate of the CHP, answered questions from Medyascope as the March 31 Local Elections approached. Imamoğlu explained his promises, expectations, and also evaluated the agenda.
NO ONE CAN COME BETWEEN FREE WILL OF VOTERS AND MY CONNECTION
Imamoğlu commented on pro-Kurdish DEM Party (People’s Equality and Democracy Party) running a candidate in Istanbul and said, “Politically, they may vote for the DEM Party, but they can also vote for Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has distributed Anne (mother) Cards to 650,000 people and provided scholarships to 100,000 young people. No one can come between their free will and my connection, and I believe no one can.” Imamoğlu emphasized that they did not form an alliance with the DEM Party, but they reached an agreement on Esenyurt within the framework of urban consensus.
WHY HE CALLS HIS OPPONENT NOVICE CANDIDATE
Regarding why he referred to AKP’s İBB mayoral candidate Murat Kurum as a “novice candidate,” Imamoğlu explained that he did not consider it disrespectful: “I never think I’m being disrespectful. The term ‘novice’ is an observation, not a mockery. He hasn’t studied (done his homework) well. I don’t think he has an interest in Istanbul. He is not only confused with neighborhood names, but he simply doesn’t know them. He has no connection to Istanbul, and if you look at his life history, education, lifestyle, he simply doesn’t have it.”
I DO NOT ENGAGE WITH THE PRESIDENT, HE ENGAGES WITH ME
Imamoğlu emphasized that he did not engage with AKP’s President and General Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, stating, “I do not engage with the President, he engages with me. He calls me ‘that person,’ ‘those people,’ he doesn’t mention my name. He cannot say my name, but he mentions me everywhere, he throws words at me everywhere. If I have to respond, I do.”
Imamoğlu emphasized that he worked in harmony with the Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, stating, “We are in a dialogue that includes respect, love, sincerity, dedication, and sincerity to an extent that no one can imagine. There is no one between me and our Chairman. In that sense, I am very pleased and content. If I need to ask something to my Chairman, of course, I ask my Chairman.”
MY SOLE FOCUS IS ISTANBUL, I DO NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT 2028 GENERAL ELECTIONS
Imamoğlu stated that his sole focus was Istanbul and that he did not want to talk about the 2028 General Elections, saying, “In 2023 election, our ex-chairman (Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu) became our presidential candidate. I claim that I was the one who worked the hardest and put in the most effort. We failed. Then we said ‘change,’ what happened? Our Chairman became Özgür Özel. They said I would be a candidate from another party? What happened? I became the candidate from the CHP. My passion, desire, and dreams for Istanbul cannot fit into one or even 100 programs. The only issue I talk about is truly Istanbul. I see that the next five years will be good for Istanbul in every aspect. I want to experience and preserve this. There are four years until 2028, it would be impudent for me to talk about it (running for president) from today.”
(from interview with Medyascop)
